If you’re a mom, then you probably know that our kids can teach us quite a bit. And if we pay attention, we can learn a lot from them that we can apply to our business. Here’s some things I notice about my soon-to-be-3 year old, that I need to take into my business world just a little more often. So take some notes, and next time your kid asks you something for the 900th time, just remember that he’s really teaching you how to be a better business owner. (Yeah, I know, it’s still annoying – but it was worth a shot.)
1. Don’t give up on what you want
I know my children don’t like to hear “no,” and when they do – they don’t take it as the final answer, ever. So they set out to use whatever tools they have in their little arsenal to hear what they want, which is usually “yes.” So even it takes whining, begging, asking over and over, reasoning, laser-focused dedication – they will keep it up indefinitely, knowing that eventually they will wear you down and hear a yes. (Maybe not every time, but even if it’s one time out of 100, they know at some point it will happen.)
As adults we could stand to be a little more like that. Definitely don’ t take it to the extent our kids do, because that might be a little weird. But, if you really want something in life or in your business – well then don’t take no for an answer. Fight for it. Good things don’t always come easy (heck, they usually don’t), but they’re usually worth the hard work.
2. Believe in yourself
From watching my 10 year old son, I know that kids believe they can do anything. I’ve watched him do things I would never let him do if I was close enough to stop him. Kids are completely confident in themselves and in what they can do. If a kid’s good at something, he’ll let you know it. Over and over and over. And if they’re not good at something, they’ll keep trying until they are. Over and over and over. My little daughter can’t ride a skateboard (she’s not even 3 yet, remember), but she knows she wants to and she has no doubts that she can learn how if she tries hard enough. She will not give up.
As adults, we question ourselves and our abilities far too much . We let our doubts and our limiting beliefs hold us back from so much. You can do amazing things… all you have to do is believe you can and then go do it!
3. Laugh at yourself
My kids can laugh at silly things they do better than I can. They are able to just let go, laugh at their silly mistakes, and then move on and let it go. So if you do something silly or wrong, just acknowledge how funny it really is and laugh about it. You’ll be less stressed, happier, and by laughing and moving on, you can go on to try something different or make changes.
So go ahead and start laughing.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want
This kind of ties back into #1 above. If a child wants something, they’re not going to hesitate to tell you about it – over and over again. For example, my daughter (yes, her again) just today wanted a bike helmet so she could practice riding that skateboard. I didn’t think we had one that would fit her. But she knew she wanted one, and so she asked, and asked, and asked and… you get the idea.Kids don’t like to keep what they want a secret and you know what, we shouldn’t either. If we were more open about exactly what we wanted from life and if we were willing to actually ask for it we might just get it.
How many times have you been talking to a prospect and instead of asking for the sale, you try to work your way around everything but just asking the question? If you want someone to help you in your business ASK, if you want to close a sale on one of your products, ASK FOR IT. Your child would, without hesitation, and not just once. And that’s why they usually get it. Even if they don’t get it every single time, they keep asking and keep going and keep trying until they do. So try acting more like a kid (appopriately of course) and see what happens.
Have a great day!
